From Trellis – May 20, 2025
A decade and a half ago, Colorado — a fossil fuel-producing state governed by Republican Bill Owens — would have seemed an unlikely candidate to forge a thriving circular economy. But a combination of progressive political leadership, a core of innovative technology developers with access to funding, regional alliances and consumer enthusiasm has shaped an emerging ecosystem of startups, public entities and nonprofits that offer a circular economy roadmap for other states.
At the center of this movement is Laurie Johnson, founder and CEO of Circular Colorado. The former COO of a hauling company and former executive director of Recycle Colorado, Johnson founded Circular Colorado in 2021 with the mission of “establishing Colorado as a leader in developing circular economy solutions.”
“We’re building a model that can be replicated across states and across regions,” Johnson said during an April 29 workshop at Circularity 25 in Denver. “We’d love to see this happen across the country.”